June 13: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Standing Committee today lambasted the administration for allowing Sulabh International to enjoy a monopoly in the construction of public toilets and urinals (Sulabh Shauchalayas) in Mumbai.The issue came up for discussion when Congress member Ravindra Pawar raised a point of order, saying Sulabh International had a good track record earlier, but of late the condition of the utilities built and maintained by it had deteriorated.Pointing out several places in the suburbs where public utilities built by the organisation were in a state of total neglect, Pawar demanded that a thorough inquiry be ordered into the functioning of Sulabh International.Cutting across party lines, corporators supported Pawar's point of order and launched a scathing attack on the administration for being ``taken for a ride'' by Sulabh.Shiv Sena corporator Digambar Kandarkar said, ``The organisation, despite its negligence in providing basic amenities to the citizens, has somehow managed to be one of the most favoured agencies by the BMC. The BMC not only gives Sulabh International free land at prime locations, but it is not even charged for the water and electricity used. However, any other party that comes forward with proposals to construct similar public utilities is ignored by the BMC.''Another Sena corporator Vijay Daruwale blamed the ward officers and the engineering department for not supervising the construction done by the organisation. ``At several places in the suburbs, the material used for the construction of the toilet blocks is sub-standard, and there is no maintenance of the utilities at all,'' he pointed out.Samajwadi Party corporator Yakoob Memon said that several private companies had approached him with proposals to build and maintain such utilities without taking any advance from the BMC. ``However, the authorities asked them to fulfil unreasonable requirements like Income-Tax clearance, and NOC from half-a-dozen other agencies. Naturally, they all backed off,'' he said.The chairperson of the standing committee, Sardar Tarasingh of the BJP, also supported the point of order. Citing the example of Sunita Nagar in Bhandup, where a public toilet run by Sulabh had to be closed after the electric supply was cut off for the non-payment of bills, he said, ``One cannot understand why the BMC has always had a soft corner for the organisation.''Additional Municipal Commissioner Shridhar Joshi agreed that the services provided by Sulabh International had deteriorated. However, he maintained that the allegations of favouring the organisation were baseless. ``It must be noticed that no new work order has been given to the organisation since the last several months.''Joshi added that in view of the cleanliness drive, the BMC has encouraged several other parties and agencies in this respect. ``I have also directed the deputy municipal commissioner to make a survey of the public utilities run by Sulabh International in their respective zones and order necessary measures to be taken by the agency to better the amenities,'' he added.
